Hand fans can be traced as far back as 4,000 years ago in Egypt. The fan was seen as a sacred instrument and used in religious ceremonies and was also seen as a symbol of power and royalty even in this early form, as evidenced by the two elaborate fans found in King Tut's tomb. One of the fans had a golden handle and was covered in ostrich feathers while the other was ebony overlaid with gold and precious stones. Fans taken to Europe in the 1500s by way of trade routes became an exotic and stylish symbol of wealth and class.